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OPM rebels burn missionary aircraft in Papua
The attack was allegedly triggered by a fight over seats on the small utility aircraft, which only has space for nine passengers.
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Papua (JP/-)
Separatist rebels reportedly burned a missionary aircraft in Pagamba village, Intan Jaya regency, Papua, on Wednesday.
The aircraft, registered as a PK-MAX and operated by the Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF), departed from Nabire Airport with two passengers heading to Pagamba airstrip.
American Alex Lufercheck said the Kodiak 100 aircraft had landed without issue at Pagamba airstrip at 9:30 a.m. local time. But members of the Free Papua Organization (OPM) separatist group reportedly charged the plane and ordered Lufercheck to disembark.
“Then someone carrying a firearm […] shot into the air and ordered the pilot to keep his head down,” Papua Police chief spokesman Sr. Comr. AM Kamal said in a written statement on Thursday as reported by kompas.com.
The alleged OPM members then set fire to the aircraft while the pilot was evacuated from the location by priests and local residents.
“The pilot was taken to Tekai village, between Pagamba village and Bugalaga village,” said Kamal.
He added that the National Sar and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) had been told of the incident and asked the MAF Foundation in Nabire to check on the aircraft.
